Today, something a little different.
Instead of working from a camera RAW file, I’m adapting an in-camera JPEG. The image in question is a photograph I made in June 2013 of Massachusetts Central’s rare EMD NW5 No. 2100 working a surviving fragment of the former Central Massachusetts line in Ware, Massachusetts.
It was a hot, humid, and hazy day when I exposed this view using my Canon EOS 7D fitted with a Canon 100mm f/2.0 prime telephoto lens. All of the illustrations shown here are derived from the original in-camera JPEG. (And compressed by Word Press for internet delivery)
The top image is presented without any post-processing adjustments. Its color, contrast, and tonal values are as rendered by the camera’s JPEG settings.
The middle image shows the same file processed in DxO PhotoLab 9 using the program’s automatic ClearView Plus feature to reduce atmospheric haze. (This PhotoLab feature is activated by checking a box on the program’s control panel.)
DxO describes haze as follows: “Light obscuration is a natural phenomenon that appears in images as a loss of contrast and detail, often caused by fine particles in the atmosphere. Dust, mist, rain, fog, smog, and smoke are the most common causes of hazy, low-contrast photos.”
Highlighting the feature, DxO adds: “ClearView Plus is designed to tackle light obscuration head-on. It analyzes your image to restore lost contrast and reveal hidden detail, and can be adjusted so that you can fine-tune the effect to your liking.”
I find that DxO’s ClearView Plus provides an instant improvement. Some photographers may debate its interpretation of color saturation and balance, but it certainly produces a high-impact image with very little effort.
An alternative is the final image, which I adjusted manually in PhotoLab 9 to improve contrast and color saturation while maintaining a more natural interpretation (based on my eye and recollection of the scene).
PhotoLab 9 includes many additional tools and features that I’ll explore in future posts.
Tracking the Light viewers have been offered a discount on DxO software. New customers can receive 15 percent off purchases made at shop.dxo.com by using the discount code TRACKINGTHELIGHT.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!